Spellbound (2002/I)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Jeffrey Blitz

Release Date:

10 October 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

EVERYONE WANTS THE LAST WORD

Plot:

Spellbound follows eight teenagers on their quest to win the 1999 National Spelling Bee.

Plot Keywords:

Spelling Bee | Immigrant | Teacher | Washington D.C. | Small Town

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 14 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Angela Arenivar	...	Herself - Spelling Bee Participant
Ubaldo Arenivar	...	Himself - Angela's Father (as Ubaldo)
Jorge Arenivar	...	Himself - Angela's Brother (as Jorge)
Mr. Scott McGarraugh	...	Himself - Ranch Owner (as Mr. McGarraugh)
Mrs. Lindy McGarraugh	...	Herself - Ranch Owner (as Mrs. McGarraugh)
Concepción Arenivar	...	Herself - Angela's Mother (as Concepción)
Mrs. Slaughter	...	Herself - Angela's Teacher
Neelima Marupudi	...	Herself - Potter County Champion (as Neelima)
Nupur Lala	...	Herself - Spelling Bee Participant
Ms. Whitehurst	...	Herself - Nupur's Teacher
Parag Lala	...	Himself - Nupur's Father (as Parag)
Meena Lala	...	Herself - Nupur's Mother (as Meena)
Kuna Lala	...	Himself - Nupur's Brother (as Kuna)
Ted Brigham	...	Himself - Spelling Bee Participant
Ms. Blair	...	Herself - Tes's Teacher
Dan Brigham	...	Himself - Ted's Brother
Tim Brigham	...	Himself - Ted's Brother (as Tim)
Earl Brigham	...	Himself - Ted's Father (as Earl)
Dorothy Brigham	...	Herself - Ted's Mother (as Dorothy)
Emily Stagg	...	Herself - Spelling Bee Participant
David Stagg	...	Himself - Emily's Father (as David)
Suzanne Stagg	...	Herself - Emily's Mother (as Suzanne)
Ashley White	...	Herself - Spelling Bee Participant
Angela White	...	Herself - Ashley's Mother (as Angela)
Ms. Williams	...	Herself - Ashley's Teacher
Sigourney White	...	Herself - Ashley's Sister (as Sigourney)
Neil Kadakia	...	Himself - Spelling Bee Participant
Rajesh Kadakia	...	Himself - Neil's Father (as Rajesh)
Darshana Kadakia	...	Herself - Neil's Mother (as Darshana)
Shivani Kadakia	...	Herself - Neil's Sidter (as Shivani)
Samye Hill	...	Herself - Neil's Spelling Coach
April DeGideo	...	Herself - Spelling Bee Participant
Al DeGideo	...	Himself - April's Father (as Al)
Gale DeGideo	...	Herself - April's Mother (as Gale)
Mr. Miller	...	Himself - April's Teacher
Harry Altman	...	Himself - Spelling Bee Participant
Fay Sharit	...	Herself - Harry's Mother (as Fay)
Paige Kimble	...	Herself - National Spelling Bee Director and 1981 National Champion
Alex Cameron	...	Himself - National Spelling Bee Pronouncer
Mona Goldstein	...	Herself - Mother of Last Year's 4th Place Speller
Frank Neuhauser	...	Himself - 1925 National Champion
Jonathan Knisely	...	Himself - 1971 National Champion
Balu Natarajan	...	Himself - 1985 National Champion
Janaky Natarajan	...	Herself - Balu's Mother
George Thampy	...	Himself - Spelling Bee Participant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jacques Bailly	...	Himself (uncredited)
William Dolan	...	Himself (uncredited)
Katie Kerwin McCrimmon	...	Herself (uncredited)

Directed by
Jeffrey Blitz

Produced by
Jeffrey Blitz	....	producer
Ronnie Eisen	....	additional producer
Sean Welch	....	producer

Original Music by
Daniel Hulsizer

Film Editing by
Yana Gorskaya

Art Department
Adam Byrne	....	graphics designer
Yana Gorskaya	....	graphics designer

Sound Department
Greg Brazel	....	additional sound recordist: Washington D.C.
Peter Brown	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe Dzuban	....	sound effects editor
Sean Welch	....	sound recordist
Peter Brown	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jeffrey Blitz	....	camera operator
Greg Brazel	....	additional camera: Washington DC
Mac Carter	....	additional camera: Washington DC
David Gruenberg	....	additional camera: Washington DC
Rob Lyall	....	additional camera: Washington DC
Sheila Smith	....	additional camera: Washington DC (as Shiela Smith)

Editorial Department
Chris Perkel	....	editorial support

Other crew
Andy Blitz	....	funding provided by
Sally Steele	....	publicist
Winston Emano	....	publicist (uncredited)
David Magdael	....	publicist (uncredited)

Thanks
Kate Amend	....	special thanks
Jacques Bailly	....	special thanks
Diane West Blitz	....	special thanks
Alex Cameron	....	special thanks (as Alex J. Cameron)
Mac Carter	....	special thanks
Melissa Simon Disharoon	....	special thanks (as Melissa Disharoon)
Michael Donaldson	....	special thanks
Breck Eisner	....	special thanks
Arturo Everitt	....	special thanks
Bradley Feldman	....	special thanks
Hugh Flick	....	special thanks
Ed Gildred	....	special thanks
David Gruenberg	....	special thanks
Mark J. Harris	....	special thanks
Adrian Herrera	....	special thanks
Claire Husted	....	special thanks
Martin Hynes	....	special thanks
Paige Kimble	....	special thanks (as Paige P. Kimble)
Jonathan Knisely	....	special thanks (as Jonathan Knisley)
Eve Lindeman	....	special thanks
Linda Loeffler	....	special thanks
Greg McCambridge	....	special thanks
Frank Neuhauser	....	special thanks
Jean-Michel Richaud	....	special thanks
Harvard L. Weiss	....	special thanks
Chad Wilson	....	special thanks
Robyn Wilson	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Blitz/Welch (uncredited)

Distributors

• Cathay-Keris Films (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Happinet Corporation (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Pandora Films (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• THINKFilm (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Canvas (2008) (Belgium) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Future Film (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Television International (200?) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Apocalypse Sound  post-production sound services
• Cinetic Media  sales (uncredited)
• Creative Cafe  post-production sound services
• ESPN  footage provided by
• Film Arts Foundation  sponsor
• International Documentary Association (IDA)  sponsor
• Merriam-Webster  special thanks
• Pacific Pioneer Fund  major funding
• Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee  special thanks
• WRC-TV  news footage courtesy of

Runtime:

97 min | Canada:95 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:K-3 | Australia:G | Singapore:G | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Company:

Blitz/Welch

Quotes:

Ted's Mom: I think Ted's got the advantage of parents, who think he's great irregardless.

Movie Connections:

References The Mummy (1999)

Spell it any way you like...

...this film can be found listed under the definition of "winner." Absolutely wonderful work from first-time director/cinematographer Jeffrey Blitz, "Spellbound" is an engrossing documentary that introduces and follows eight regional Spelling Bee winners to the 1999 national championship in Washington, D.C. Of course, it's about far more than the rote spelling of arcane words; it's about setting goals and pursuing them, following your dreams and your heart's desires, and above all, the value of love and cooperation in achieving what you set out to do. Beautifully structured and paced, the story of these eight kids, all of them heartbreakingly appealing and buoyantly inspiring, will keep you on the edge of your seat as if you were involved in the lexicographical competition yourself. Perhaps I am biased, having had a child involved in a local spelling bee (she lost, and of course I just loved her all the more), but I rank this little sleeper right up there with "Hoop Dreams" and "Crumb" as one of my all-time favorite documentaries. If you don't fall in love with these kids (and their families) and share their agonies and ecstasies all the way through the triumph of the final winner, then I would have to say you have no heart and no soul. The DVD includes three other contestants whose arcs had to be cut from the film for time, but who are equally engaging, as well as a "where are they now?" addendum and a DVD-ROM Hangman's spelling game.

Simply put, not to be missed by anyone interested in the positive aspects of humanity.